


A Different Spin

by Aria6



Series: A Coyote's Stories [21]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria6/pseuds/Aria6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Author's Note: This is the same concept as Employment Opportunities but with an entirely different spin. ^_^ Basically, Starrk was 'bought' for something he actually enjoys…</p>
    </blockquote>





	A Different Spin

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This is the same concept as Employment Opportunities but with an entirely different spin. ^_^ Basically, Starrk was 'bought' for something he actually enjoys…

Starrk smiled as he played on the piano, letting his fingers wander over the keys. He wasn't sure if what he was playing was original or something he remembered, from the depths of his mind. He didn't much care, either. He was making music and that was enough.

This is sort of degrading. Lilinette grumbled in the back of his mind. Because of their circumstances, he couldn't manifest her outside himself. He did sometimes allow her to control their body, to compensate. Starrk shook his head as he let the melody wander into a minor key.

"Hush. I'm enjoying myself." He didn't want her to ruin his fun. The truth was, though, she had a point. Starrk was at this party to create an ambience with his quiet piano playing and also demonstrate, by his mere presence, how wealthy and powerful this family was. He was a trophy and he was being shown off to the guests.

In the defeat of the arrancar forces, Coyote Starrk had been taken alive. But he'd been so badly injured he'd been mislabeled as a numero and somehow, had slid through the cracks. It helped that absolutely everyone who knew him seemed to be convinced he was dead. Starrk had innocently asked, one time, and been told that the only survivors of power were Halibel and Grimmjow.

Once he'd learned all he could from the arrancar in his clutches, the mad scientist known as Kurotsuchi had sold the rest of them. It wasn't as far-fetched as it sounded. Soul Society did not practice slavery, true, but hollows were not considered people. They had been kept by nobles and shinigami before. The only reason the practice had been discontinued was because they needed to be fed and feeding them peasants was no longer legal. Arrancar, in contrast, did not need to feed. They were ideal to be kept as guard dogs and pets.

Starrk was a pet. He'd carefully preserved his false identity as a numero, using Lilinette to keep his reiatsu as weak as possible. So when the arrancar had been sold, he'd been picked up by this little family. A very minor but very rich family, they were closely related to the Kuchiki clan but did not actually bear the name. They were more than rich enough to afford one of the new arrancar slaves.

It honestly wasn't that bad. Starrk's place in the household was as a general helper. He did anything that was required, ranging from helping the chefs to going with the girls on shopping trips. What Starrk loved about the family was the children. Shinigami children were rare, but regular, reiatsu-less plus souls could reproduce more readily. They had three girls, sixteen, fourteen and twelve. To Starrk's senses, only the twelve year old had the potential to be shinigami. He'd told her that and she was very interested, to her mother's dismay.

"Wolf! Can you sing as well?" The lady of the house asked him and he looked up from his playing with a smile. She was looking particularly beautiful tonight, her dark blonde hair caught in a red jade comb behind her head and held in place with matching pins. Her gown was also red, embroidered with gold and very tight. Not many could have carried off that look, but she could.

"Of course." He said with a smile, not immune to her charms. And that request meant that he could go from being a soothing background to the centre of attention. Starrk considered what to play for a moment before resting his hands on the keys and beginning a very simple song. The notes of the piano seemed too simple, too basic, but then he added his voice. Then the song went from simple to poignant, filled with meaning.

'Tis the gift to be simple,  
'Tis the gift to be free,  
'Tis the gift to come down where you want to be,  
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,  
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,  
To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed.  
To turn, turn will be our delight,  
Till by turning, turning, we come 'round right.

Then he went back to his piano but added more, making the song deeper and more complex. Vaguely, Starrk wondered if anyone in the room would understand the point he was making. Because this was him. His life was so simple and strangely free, despite being chained. His strength was his flexibility, bending and coping with whatever he was given.

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,  
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,  
To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed.  
To turn, turn will be our delight,  
Till by turning, turning, we come 'round right.

He turned and bowed to a smattering of applause. Conversation started up again but Starrk didn't listen, just enjoying the background hum that proved he was not alone. Smiling to himself, he went back to creating gentle mood music.

Lilinette was right, it was a touch degrading, being a slave. And yet, he couldn't help but enjoy it.

"Peel the potatoes and toss 'em in the pot. Peel the potatoes and toss 'em in the pot… I'm bored. You take over." Lilinette said with his mouth and Starrk laughed to himself before taking back their body. Her tolerance for tedium was practically nil.

Starrk's tolerance for tedium, on the other hand, was extremely high. It was almost like sleeping on his feet, in fact. Starrk let his mind wander as he peeled the potatoes and was vaguely disappointed when he reached into the basin to find he was completely out of tubers.

"Mistress? I've finished with the potatoes." He said to the cook, ignoring Lilinette's grumble. He was to refer to everyone as master or mistress, unless they specified otherwise. He was below even the servants, here.

"Put them through the mandolin, thick setting." She instructed him shortly as she worked on some kind of batter. Starrk obeyed, using the tool to slice the potatoes. He was uniquely suited to that task, with his hierro. People had lost skin on the tool before. Vaguely, he wondered what they were making. Well, why not ask?

"What are we making, mistress?" He asked and she responded after a moment.

"The young mistress took a fancy to a fish and chip stand and asked if we could make something like that. So tonight is tempura battered, deep fried fish, tempura vegetables and potato chips." She sounded like it pained her and Starrk couldn't help but smile. The cook was not a young woman and felt that Japanese food was superior to any other. She only lamented that she had been born a woman. Apparently, tradition held it that women's hands were too warm to properly form sushi. Starrk suspected that was balderdash but wasn't about to tell her so. "Hide! How's the oil coming?"

"It's ready!" The other kitchen help, a young boy, called from his spot in the kitchen. There was another chef, an older man, who was working on the vegetables. He was chopping away with a single minded intensity. Starrk kept working on the potatoes.

Eventually, the chef began dropping the fish into the fryer. Starrk sniffed thoughtfully, trying to identify the cooking oil being used. Pork lard? No, beef tallow. Hm.

"That's a lot of beef tallow." He said, looking at the basket. It was a little used piece of equipment. The chef grunted.

"Yes, I know. After we're done we'll filter it and reuse it." She said and Starrk nodded. That made sense. "Carry this out." She pointed to a tray of dips and Starrk took it out. One of the other servants was already setting the table.

Starrk got to try a few small pieces of the food, tasting portions only. He didn't need to eat, so he wasn't fed, but he did get to try things. He thought what they had created was delicious, although he really had no reference point for that. From the enthusiastic response, though, it was good. Starrk just hung out in the kitchen, being around the kitchen staff as they ate their own meal. He might be beneath them but they didn't really treat him like it, aside from giving him orders.

"So what are you working on with the young mistress? Fumiki-sama said something about a large project." Hide asked and Starrk shrugged, resting his elbows on the table.

"A school project on the Espada. I knew them all, by sight at least, so I'm acting as her primary source." Starrk sighed softly before smiling. "The only problem we're having is that apparently, she needs more 'gory details'. The hollows can't appear too kind or human. That's especially troublesome for the Primera Espada… he was the gentlest of the lot." He said, enjoying Lilinette's laughter in the back of his mind. What would these people think if they knew who was sitting at their table?

"One of those monsters, gentle?" The chef said then suddenly seemed to realize she'd said something rather offensive and spoke hastily. "I mean, you're nice enough, but Espada…. And he would have been the most powerful of the lot!"

"Mhm." Starrk was far more charitable than Lilinette and even while his other half grumbled and snarled, he was willing to grant she had a point. Powerful hollows didn't get where they were by being nice. "He was… unusual. His power came to him without effort and quickly became a curse, isolating him." They looked confused so he explained further. "Until Aizen taught him control and used the hogyoku to dampen his reiatsu, he killed any other hollow he came in contact with. Their souls were dragged into him whether he willed it or not. Many of the others followed Aizen for power, but he was the opposite. He would have given up his strength in a heartbeat if it meant he would not be alone." And here and now, Starrk was not alone. Even more than in Los Noches, he was not alone. They had no idea how much it meant to him.

"How strange…" Then Hide brought the desserts they had saved for themselves to the table and they all lost interest in the topic. Starrk was given only a small square of the almond chocolate brittle bar and savored every bit of it. He could feel Lilinette having quiet rhapsodies in the back of his mind. She could feel everything he felt and chocolate was among her favorite things. After that, they went to the study to help the 'young mistress' with her project.

That was the twelve year old, and her name was Maiko. Starrk was to call her that, except when there was company. Then she was 'young mistress' or even 'young mistress Maiko', if her sisters were close and he needed to specify. The lord and lady of the house were both Fumiki-sama, to him. Well, to everyone except their own daughters, really.

Of all the girls, Starrk liked Maiko the best. Oddly, she reminded him of Lilinette. She was a tomboy, constantly running around and climbing trees and avoiding her lessons. Starrk suspected the only reason she was paying attention to this one was because it gave her a good reason to spend a great deal of time with him. She seemed to like him, too.

"So how's this?" She asked, offering him a picture. He took it, examining it with a smile. It was a decent depiction of Ulquiorra. It wouldn't have won any prizes but it would have been sufficient for a wanted poster. Which was really the only place you were likely to find a picture of an Espada.

"Very good. It looks just like him." He said with a smile. "Which other ones do you want to draw?" He asked and Maiko sucked on her pencil, frowning as she thought.

"I don't know… the way you described Halibel's uniform sounds hard. I could do the Primera, he sounds easy but sort of boring." She said and Starrk blinked. Boring? "I mean, there's nothing weird about him. He's just a guy with brown hair in a white suit."

"Err… true, I suppose. But the little girl with him was rather interesting." Starrk said after a moment and smiled as he heard Lilinette laugh in the back of his mind. Then he decided to amuse her further. "In fact, she was really the only interesting thing about him." That made Lilinette laugh even more and Starrk felt proud of himself. Maiko frowned.

"Yeah, but no one's gonna be scared of a little girl. I want something scary. Hmm… hey, didn't you say Barragan was a skeleton when he released? What did he look like?" That made Lilinette grumble but they both had to admit she was not scary. In fact, Starrk didn't think HE was particularly scary either. A gunslinger might be intimidating, but scary? Not… really. Unless you were the one on the end of his guns, perhaps.

They helped Maiko draw Barragan and it actually turned out to be relatively easy. The flowing nature of his robes helped a great deal with that. Eventually, it was one of the servants that interrupted, pulling Starrk away to tend to his evening duties. Maiko wasn't happy but let him go. She knew there was only so long she could keep him.

Starrk's duties in the evening included making sure all the candles were lit, the little scones were secure and all the windows were locked. Then he was allowed to find his own rest. The only thing he truly disliked about being a slave was the lack of rest. He wasn't permitted to laze about on cushions all day. Lilinette said it was good for him, but Starrk found it all a bit exhausting at times.

Settling into his tiny nest of blankets and pillows, Starrk curled up and immediately fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Wolf, wake up." Hide shoved his shoulder and pushed him into wakefulness. Starrk groaned, opening his eyes to see the young boy frowning down at him. "Come on, wake up! I swear, you're worse than my brother." He grumbled and Starrk ran a hand through his hair before yawning and sitting up.

"Sorry." Hide's brother was a teenager and apparently, their parents had to almost drag him out of bed with ropes. Starrk could most definitely sympathize. "Breakfast?"

"Already over. You're needed to help clean the dishes." The boy said and Starrk blinked. He'd been allowed to sleep in a bit late then. Satisfied that he was awake, Hide left the room and Starrk pulled off his sleeping shift, putting on one of his uniforms.

His clothing was just like that of all the servants. A very simple livery of dark brown, cut well and decorated with dark red Japanese maple leaves, it was elegant yet easy to clean. Starrk thought it looked particularly good on him, setting off his dark, handsome features nicely. Lilinette thought he was being an idiot but did think he looked much better in something other than white. Really, that color had done him no favors.

Smiling a bit at the thought, Starrk soon found himself elbow deep in suds. The heat and chemicals didn't bother him so this was usually his duty. The main exception was when the girls needed him for something, usually after supper. Then Hide and the chefs took care of the dishes.

Today, though, there was something rather interesting on his schedule. Starrk wished someone had thought to warn him, but knowing the brains involved it might have been decided five minutes before he was informed.

"Come on Wolf! We're going to go shopping!" Saya said cheerfully. Nana was behind her, looking excited and Starrk held back a groan. This was, without a doubt, his least favorite chore. But…

"Yes, young mistress." He let his resignation enter his voice and the two of them laughed, grabbing his arms and pulling him out of the house with them. That was cute, at least. Even if he wished he had his guns so he could shoot himself in the head. Perhaps Lilinette would…?

Nah, that's all yours. Have fun, I'm taking a nap. Starrk mentally gave her the finger before turning his attention back outwards. It seemed like Lilinette was sleeping more than he was, these days. But then, her temper was just too short. If he let her control them too often, she was likely to snap and say something unfortunate.

Very soon, Starrk was being inducted into the level of boredom known as 'man going clothes shopping with two young girls.' He leaned against a pole or sat in chairs, asleep with his eyes open. And then, when they were finally done, he added more bags to the ones he was carrying as they went to the next shop. Before too long he was so loaded he was having trouble seeing where he was going.

He'd never imagined he would be glad for that but when he suddenly detected an extremely familiar reiatsu, Starrk silently blessed all of those bags. They almost completely obscured his face. Quickly kicking Lilinette awake he communicated the dire situation and she immediately started suppressing his reiatsu. Along with the collar, that should be enough to keep him under the radar. Starrk hoped so, anyway.

The girls were utterly oblivious and went right past the shinigami, laughing and chatting. Starrk followed close behind, moving as normally as possible. He saw the man in pink pause for a moment and glance around with a puzzled air, before shaking his head and moving on. As they got farther and farther away from each other, Starrk began to breathe easier.

That had been a close one but he hadn't been detected. All was well for now.

"Wolf? I just noticed. What happened to your hand?" Maiko asked and Starrk glanced down at it. The spot where his Espada marking had been was ridged and scarred. He absently rubbed it with his other hand, remembering.

"Just a battle injury." He lied. When he'd first been mislabeled, the medics had completely missed his Espada tattoo. In a moment of inattention, he'd seized the opportunity to tear it off. Painful but effective. No one had thought anything of a minor, unattended wound. "Maiko, if you don't mind me asking, why are we here?" She had commandeered him after supper and taken him to this park. It was autumn and the park was very pretty, full of falling leaves. Very beautiful but they didn't really seem to be doing anything and the air was rather chilly. She shifted uncomfortably, playing with her hair with one finger, twirling the dark brown strands.

"I want you to start teaching me swordplay." She said abruptly and Starrk blinked. "I'm going to be a shinigami. I want it so bad!" She said and Starrk frowned, reaching up to rub his chin.

"Hn." Maiko did have the reiatsu to become a shinigami and from what Starrk could tell, her potential was only increasing. He wondered a bit if that was due to him. His power had finished completely rebuilding only a few months ago and now it was oozing past his collar, despite all he could do to suppress it. Fortunately it was just a miasma in the air, but that might be enough to ignite her spiritual pressure. "Your parents don't want that." They both desperately didn't want their little girl to go to the Academy and possibly die… well, probably die fighting hollows. Maiko just set her face stubbornly.

"If I have the reiatsu for it and take the exams, they can't say no." She said and Starrk knew she was right. The shinigami would not permit such interference. They wanted recruits, after all. "And I want you to help me."

"…You're going to get me into trouble." He said with a sigh. Technically he hadn't been forbidden to teach her swordplay but everyone knew he wasn't an idiot. The lord and lady already weren't too happy that he'd put the idea of being a shinigami into Maiko's head.

You can always just break the collar and leave if they get too annoying. Lilinette said and Starrk had to admit she had a point. He was not really being held by anything but his own will, at this point.

"Please Wolf?" She looked at him with pleading brown eyes and Starrk felt himself starting to cave. He'd always had a weakness for children. "Please?"

"Alright." He surrendered to the inevitable. "We'll need some practice blades." He had no idea how they would acquire those. Maiko grinned.

"Leave that to me!" She said happily and he took that to mean that she already had a plan. Well, that was fine. "Now though… come on, let's go down to the river!"

"Hm? Sure." That would be a nice little stroll before bedtime. Putting his hands in his pockets, Starrk followed as Maiko skipped in front of him. Smiling, he watched her obvious happiness.

Somehow, getting into trouble didn't seem to matter much anymore.

"Ooof! I can never beat you." Maiko complained, lowering her wooden sword and shaking out her arms. Starrk chuckled, a low, amused sound.

"I would be horrified at myself if you did." He said and she scowled at him. At times like this she really did remind him of Lilinette. Hm… "You know, if you want a more even fight, I could let you fight someone else." He hadn't enlightened anyone in the family of his dual soul condition but of all of them, he trusted Maiko the most. Also, he didn't think anyone would connect him to the Primera at this point. They were too familiar with kind, gentle Wolf to consider that he might be more dangerous than he appeared.

"Huh? What do you mean?" She questioned and he explained as Lilinette listened avidly. He could feel her practically vibrating in the back of his mind, desperate to come out and play.

"I have a second soul within me. Her name is Lily and she's much younger… I can let her control my body, for a time. You might be able to defeat her and she would like to practice. She can be rather rude." He warned and Maiko blinked before smiling.

"You've got a girl in there? Sure, I'd like to meet her!" She said and Starrk smiled before handing control to Lilinette. He felt as Lilinette made them grin and knew that to Maiko, it would be like seeing an entirely new person emerging.

"Hi! Yeah, I'm Lily." It was still his voice, though, which made it rather amusing to him. "Hmm… aw, this sword ain't what I'm used to." She lifted the wooden sword, examining it. "Oh well. I'll suck but that's okay. You ready?"

"Yeah!" Maiko was clearly happy about the thought of her opponent 'sucking'. But then, he had been teaching her for several weeks. Perhaps it was time for her to taste a bit of victory.

And it took a while, but she did. Lilinette wasn't bad but she was overconfident and her judgment was appalling. However, it was Starrk who howled in pain as a wooden sword hit him in the eye.

"LILY!" He almost said her real name in his shock and pain. "Brat!" He snarled as he held a hand over his eye from where he was sitting on the ground. She was LAUGHING at him! That was going a bit far. Maiko was horrified by what she'd just done and he grimaced as she knelt beside him and put an arm around him.

"Oh Wolf, I'm sorry!" She apologized and he shook his head, lowering his hand and blinking. The wooden sword actually couldn't do him any real harm, with his hierro in the way. It did sting like fire, though.

"It's not your fault. Lily forced me back into control to take the pain for her." He growled, irritated at his other half. She was trying to feel apologetic now but not doing it well. The whole thing was just too funny to her. "Hmph… perhaps we should go inside." They didn't want to be caught at this. Maiko nodded, still worried for him. She helped him to his feet and he smiled at her reassuringly. "You must have schoolwork to do." He was a bit afraid that she was neglecting her other duties in favor of their sparring. She made a face.

"Oh man… I guess…" She mumbled and Starrk patted her on the shoulder. He knew it was hard for her but she needed to concentrate on her lessons more.

Really, she did remind him a lot of Lilinette.

"Maiko?" Starrk stepped into her bedroom, closing the door behind him. She looked up from her bed with a scowl. "Your mother sent me to check your work." That was the cause of her hostility, of course. The glare intensified for a moment before she looked away, still scowling.

"It's right over there." She gestured to the little desk and Starrk picked up the report with a sense of foreboding and started to read. He was highly educated, for an arrancar. Some long forgotten past had given him that.

"I am writing a report. This is the second sentence of the first paragraph. This is the third sentence of the first paragraph. A bug just landed on me. I brushed it away. I am now writing the sixth sentence… um…" Starrk looked at the paper in his hand helplessly as Lilinette sniggered. "…Are you TRYING to be punished?" Really, this was just asking for it. Maiko looked away with a humphing sound. "What was the topic for this?" He asked. What had given rise to this?

"What's going on in our lives." She growled and Starrk sighed as he set the sheet down. Then he paused to regard her.

He'd been with the family three years at this point. Maiko was fifteen years old and just starting to bloom. And with her physical development came a sullen attitude. If her parents had been willing to sign the forms she could have started at the Academy early, but they had refused completely.

Starrk was sure they would have to send her next year, though. He could feel the building reiatsu surrounding her, sense the intensity of it. She was strong and becoming stronger. Not all the power in the air was due to him, anymore. If his reiatsu had sparked hers, she no longer needed him… this was going to happen no matter what. If her parents refused to send her, the shinigami would be coming for Maiko.

Maiko knew it too and she was angry at the delay. In fact, she was angry in general at how resistant her parents were. So now she was venting her feelings on this assignment, which had touched the raw part of her soul.

"Maiko, this isn't going to help." Starrk said gently as he sat down on the bed beside her. Brown eyes flickered towards him before moving away. "I know you're upset, but you will go to the Academy next year. Can't you make this last year with your family a happy time?" It seemed like cutting off her nose to spite her face, to him.

"…I did write something better." She said in a very quiet tone of voice. Starrk tilted his head to one side. She was still looking away from him and blushing? "But it's a fantasy." She admitted and he blinked before shrugging.

"It's not like your teachers would know. Can I see it?" He asked and she hesitated before reaching under the bed and pulling out some more papers. There was quite a few more of them than the last set… but then, for that she'd been doing the bare minimum. Starrk took the papers and began to read.

It didn't take him long to understand that what he was reading was a romance. It made him smile a little… Maiko was clearly growing up and had her eye on someone. A boy from her class, perhaps? At first it started innocent and sweet but gradually went places that were anything but. Then his breath caught as he read one particular line. The description of the boy in question had been tall, dark, handsome but...

…his mask fragment was strangely warm. Like it was part of him, which it was, really. She ran her tongue over it, feeling the pulse of warmth. It reminded her of a heartbeat…

Uh oh. Kids got it bad. Was Lilinette's comment and Starrk swallowed before glancing at Maiko. She was still looking away, her cheeks very pink.

"Well." He heard the husky note to his voice and cursed himself before clearing his throat. "I'm… flattered. But I think your sensei would immediately give this to your father. And then I would likely be sold." He said quietly and she looked up, a sudden flash of panic in her face. He smiled at her reassuringly before giving the papers back. "I'm very flattered. But you do know that I'm far too old for you?" She bit her lip before looking away again.

"I know you must be really old. But what does it matter? Kyoraku taichou sleeps with younger girls." She said after a moment and Starrk blinked as his mind flashed back to the man in pink. He could see that, actually. He definitely seemed the type to be popular with the ladies. "I – I like you, Wolf." She said before moving. He could have evaded her but he honestly wasn't sure he should… or that he wanted to. When had he last been touched in an intimate manner?

Her lips against his were soft and uncertain. Starrk hesitated a moment before allowing himself to respond, gently touching her shoulder as he showed her how to kiss. Nothing too intimate, no tongue, just warm lips and tender touches. When he pulled back she was flushed and breathing faster. Starrk swallowed hard, his own libido hitting him as he saw the arousal on her face. But…

"Maiko, you are too young. And I'm an arrancar." He said, gently but firmly. This simply would not do. She was only fifteen and just because she had desires did not mean he should satisfy them. "No one would ever accept anything between us." She started to look stubborn but then he continued. "Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy." A romance, yes, but foremost a tragedy. That took some of the spark out of her eyes and she looked down.

"I know. If we did and… mom and dad found out, you'd be…" She said in a low tone and Starrk nodded. He would actually just escape, but she couldn't know that. She thought he would be sold and sent far, far away from her. "…Someday you might be free." She suddenly said and he blinked. It was the first he'd heard of that. "The shinigami are trying to pass laws but the noble houses are fighting it. But it might happen. Maybe then?"

"Perhaps." He said, humoring her. Although who knew? She would be much older then. "For now, though, can we write something better for your class?" He suggested and she scowled at him, but not as if she meant it. "It doesn't have to be good. Just… give the impression that you're trying." The horrible thing she currently had wasn't even trying, and this romantic piece, while wonderfully written, would not do. Maiko just looked at him for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"Alright. I'll try." She surrendered before going to the desk. "Maybe I could write about us sparring…?" She said and Starrk nodded. They didn't want her parents to know about that either, but the teacher would not immediately rat them out. After all, for all she knew they had permission for that. The other? Definitely not.

"Include Lily." He suggested and that made her smile happily. Then she bent over the paper and began to write as he watched. Inwardly, he was glad she would be leaving for the Academy in a year.

She was still blossoming right now. In a few years, Maiko might be all too tempting.

Two years later.

Ise Nanao smiled as she looked over the Academy class.

She was there to give a lecture and then answer questions about zanpakuto. And she did plenty of that. But then one student, a young girl with brown hair and brown eyes, suddenly asked her something completely unrelated.

"Ise fukutaichou? I've heard there are some arrancar in the ranks of the Gotei 13?" She asked and Nanao blinked in surprise. Then she nodded.

"Yes, there are. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez is serving under Kenpachi taichou." She said and prepared to take another question. But the student did not let her, quickly asking another question.

"If another powerful arrancar were discovered, say a surviving Espada no one knew about, what would happen?" She asked and Nanao frowned at the girl. Why was she asking that question? But the student just looked at her with earnest curiosity. Finally she answered as best she could.

"If they were in Hueco Mundo, nothing. We have a treaty with the Queen of Hueco Mundo." That was Tia Halibel. "If they were here, for some reason, they would have the choice of joining the Gotei 13 or being returned to Hueco Mundo." They couldn't let an arrancar of that strength simply run around. "However, all Espada were accounted for. So this does not matter. Does anyone have any questions about zanpakuto?" She said, redirecting the topic to the one at hand. Hands went up again and she picked another, missing the thoughtful look on that student's face.

Starrk was not expecting the end to his masquerade to come in such an odd manner.

Maiko had been at the Academy for over a year and was settling in well. He hadn't been able to teach her anything with kido or shunpo, but his lessons in basic sword skills were serving her well. She had a leg up on some of the other cadets and was showing a great deal of promise with kido. It made him feel rather proud. And she was turning into a beautiful young woman, which was nice to see.

When she asked him to take a walk with her after supper, though, Starrk was tempted to refuse. He had a feeling he knew where this was going and really didn't want to go there. The attraction she felt to him hadn't dimmed, from the look in her eyes. And he would have to admit that he was finding her far more tempting at seventeen than fifteen. She was getting past the gawky stage of puberty and her bust had gone from small but promising to lovely little handfuls. Starrk could imagine cupping them in his hands, which worried him. He shouldn't be thinking like this about one of the girls. It was all so troublesome…

Oi. Just screw her and get it out of your system. Lilinette's commentary was not helpful. It was even less helpful when Maiko's oblivious father, his ultimate master, told them to have a nice walk. Boxed in, Starrk left with the young girl. That was how he needed to think of her. Too young. She would always be too young…

"Wolf, would you like to join the Gotei 13?" Maiko asked him and Starrk just stared at her for a moment. She seemed entirely serious.

"Maiko, I am a slave. The shinigami cannot free me, not yet." He said gently and she turned to him, giving him a searching look. Then she reached up and gripped the collar around his neck. It was a smooth, slim circlet of black metal. Meant for long term containment… but far too weak to truly hold back his power.

"This is really holding you back?" She asked quietly and Starrk stared into her eyes, taken aback. She seemed entirely serious. "You know, I'm not dumb Wolf. You said the Primera had a tattoo on his hand." She let go of the collar to take his hand. Starrk let her, feeling numb as she ran a finger over his scarred skin. "You said he was a tall man with dark hair, with a girl fraccion named Lilinette. And his name was Coyote Starrk. You know, you're pretty obvious when you think about it… Wolf." She said and he hesitated.

"If I were that powerful, why would I still be here?" He asked, playing for time. She shrugged, letting go of his hand.

"I don't know. You're really weird?" She asked and he blinked before smiling. That was certainly true. "But I asked Ise fukutaichou what would happen if an Espada were found. She said they would have to join the Gotei 13 or go back to Hueco Mundo. So would you want to? We could be together a lot more, after I graduate." Ah, that was her motivation here. "And it would be better for you." She said softly and Starrk felt Lilinette's eagerness. He bit his lip, thinking about it. It would be taking a chance but…

Lilinette was the one who decided him. He knew she desperately wanted her own body again, and he couldn't manifest her as Wolf. Taking control of their joint body wasn't much of a solution. It helped, but it just wasn't enough. If they would really accept him he could manifest her properly again.

So he found himself slouching after Maiko as she walked into the Eighth Division like they belonged there. As they walked he idly fingered the collar, wondering when to break it. Well, there would be a moment. Something dramatic but not too dramatic. He wanted to have fun but not be threatening. That could go badly.

"Ise fukutaichou?" To their good fortune, she was in and working on the paperwork. She looked up from her desk with a frown that deepened as she saw the cadet uniform. "I've brought an arrancar to see you. He was an Espada." Maiko announced and Starrk waved in a desultory fashion. Nanao blinked, just staring at him for a moment. "He would like to join the Gotei 13."

"Well, I like it better than going back to Hueco Mundo. And washing dishes is getting a bit old." Starrk said mildly. Actually, he could wash dishes forever. But it was getting cruel for Lilinette. She needed more in her life. Nanao frowned before shaking her head.

"You do not have the spiritual pressure to – " She started and Starrk reached up under his collar and yanked his finger outwards. The black stone shattered instantly and his reiatsu flowed about him, unrestrained. He wasn't trying to flaunt it, precisely, but he wasn't going out of his way to hide it either. "… oh…" Nanao stared at him in shock as the door suddenly slammed open.

"Nanao-chan! What – you!" Kyoraku Shunsui was beyond shocked to see someone he'd been absolutely certain was dead. Starrk waved again and Maiko suddenly stepped in front of him, to his surprise. But Shunsui's hands had dropped to the hilts of his weapons.

"He's going to join the Gotei 13. Ise fukutaichou said that if an Espada was discovered, they could do that." She said stubbornly and Starrk chuckled softly. Shunsui stared at the girl before gazing at him. His expression was full of shock and almost… wonder?

"Yes, I suppose he could. But forgive me, Espada-san… where have you been?" He asked and Starrk just shrugged. It seemed like far too much effort to explain.

"Here and there. Just hanging around." He said vaguely and Maiko butted in. She was more than willing to explain it.

"He's been my families' arrancar. We bought him right after the Winter War…" Then she was singing his praises, which was a bit embarrassing. Starrk manifested Lilinette as she talked and his other half stretched, just enjoying the sensation of having a body again. Shunsui was listening to Maiko, glancing at Starrk occasionally. He caught the man looking at his hand and held it up for him, showing him the scar. Shunsui's eyes widened at the sight of that torn skin.

"Well, we never anticipated anything like this." He said as the story wound down. "And I'm sure your family will be a bit unhappy to lose such a treasure – " Starrk sighed as Lilinette snorted. Shunsui shot them both a smile. "But you're right that we can't let an Espada roam free. Ready to sign up, Espada-san?"

"Yes, I suppose so." He wistfully hoped he would be able to sleep more. He honestly suspected he wouldn't. Lilinette didn't care, though, and soon he was being dragged off by two enthusiastic girls to get his uniform.

How had his life ended up this way? Starrk honestly wasn't sure. But it definitely was interesting.


End file.
